Shrimp Farming and the Environment - Library

Planning and resource managementInadequacy of existing proceduresThere are few examples of well-planned shrimp farming to draw on. Although many countries haveplanning systems that have been applied to aquaculture, they have usually been unable to applyprocedures thoroughly and consistently while facing the sheer pressure for rapid development thatsprings from the initial success of aquaculture. Sri Lanka, for example, has relatively well developedlegislation and planning procedures applicable to aquaculture development, including coastal planningand environmental assessment procedures, but unregulated development has nonetheless taken place,and major shrimp disease problems have occurred. One of the main problems (in Sri Lanka and manyother shrimp farming countries) has been the inadequacy of environmental assessment procedures.These have been undermined through illegal developments on the one hand, and the inadequacy ofconventional EIA to cope with large numbers of small- or medium-scale developments on the other.When taken in isolation, such a development is unlikely to have a significant impact on theenvironment, but a large number of such projects (typical in estuarine and lagoon systems suitable forshrimp culture) is likely to have a significant cumulative impact.Planning frameworksSector-level environmental assessment (as opposed to project- or individual farm-level) linked to asector plan and a set of appropriate incentives and constraints appears to be the only way to address theproblems associated with these cumulative impacts (SEACAM 1999; GESAMP 1999). However, if theplanning and regulatory framework is to address social, economic, and environmental issues in acomprehensive manner, it will need to include all elements of integrated coastal management (ICM).ICM has been widely promoted as a suitable framework for addressing the problems and issuespresented in previous chapters (Chua 1992; Chua 1997; Olsen & Coello 1995; Barg 1992; Holland1998) and should be pursued as a long-term ideal. Unfortunately, developing comprehensive ICMplans is typically a difficult and lengthy process (see, for example, Robadue 1995), and shrimp farmingmay require more immediate action. Sector environmental assessment of coastal aquaculture, leadingto the development of a provisional sector plan, may be an effective first step toward morecomprehensive ICM.Whether central or local government bodies should initiate such policies is a question that variouscountries have been grappling with. There is an increasing consensus that the main initiative mustcome from local government, facilitated through an appropriate national policy and legal framework.Where such a framework is lacking, the development of local initiatives may stimulate and provide thebasis for national policy and legislation.A detailed discussion and guidelines for the planning and environmental management of theaquaculture sector, and its integration within broader ICM frameworks, will be published shortly byGESAMP (1999). Comprehensive guidelines for both sector and project environmental assessment ofcoastal aquaculture have recently been developed by SEACAM (1999). More general reviews andguidance on the development of integrated coastal management plans may be found in many recentpublications. (Recent examples include Cicin-Sain, Knecht, & Fisk 1995; UNEP 1995;GEF/UNDP/IMO MPP-EAS & CMC 1996; Post & Lundin 1996; and Sorensen 1997).Economic and market incentives and disincentivesLegislation and planning measures for aquaculture development commonly have a significantregulatory component. However, the difficulties of applying regulatory approaches in many countriesshould not be underestimated, and there is a need to consider alternatives. Economic incentives anddisincentives offer a potentially simpler and cheaper approach to guiding or modifying developmentactivity with minimal intervention and conflict; incentive methods should generally be given moreconsideration (van Houtte 1996).Government incentivesEconomic incentives to modify location, design, and operation of shrimp farms rely upon the reality orperception that higher net profits will be made if the farmer behaves in certain ways.57